Indianapolis-based Church, Tech Business Among RFRA Challengers

Update: Gov. Pence plans to sign RFRA into law Thursday in a private ceremony. 

Since clearing both chambers of the General Assembly, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, or RFRA, is on its way to Governor Mike Pence for his signature. Pence has said he intends to sign the law, but organizations are asking him to reconsider.

After RFRA passed the House, Governor Pence released a statement saying he supported the measure and looked forward to signing when it reaches his desk.

Supporters of the bill say it would protect Hoosier companies from conducting business at odds with owners’ religious beliefs. But now opponents of the bill--who argue it would give businesses a license to discriminate--are employing a full-court press, asking the governor to reconsider his support and veto the bill.

Washington state-based Gen Con LLC, which organizes Indy’s largest annual convention in both attendance and economic impact, sent a letter to the governor hinting it may reconsider holding future conventions in Indiana if Pence signs RFRA into law.

John McDonald, CEO of Indy-based tech firm CloudOne, also sent Pence a letter saying he’s afraid RFRA could affect his ability to recruit talent.

“I would like him to pause and consider some of the other possible impacts, particularly in this area of recruiting for technology that he has heretofore been fantastically a supporter of,” McDonald says.

Additionally, The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which is headquartered on Meridian Street near downtown is scheduled to hold its biennial General Assembly here in 2017.

Todd Adams, the church's associate general minister and vice president for U.S. and Candada, says Disciples of Christ is now reconsidering that decision.

“Our perspective on the particular bill in Indiana is that it creates avenues and opportunities for discrimination," Adams says. "We are not sure that we can provide a welcoming and hospitable environment for all of our guests and attendees.”

Adams says his church has about 3700 congregations throughout the United States and Canada and a presence in over 90 countries around the world. He says the church has about 400,000 participating members worldwide.  

The Indiana RFRA bill is based on a federal law that factored heavily into the U.S. Supreme Court's so-called "Hobby Lobby" decision last year, which involved an Affordable Care Act mandate that employer insurance plans cover female contraception.

18 other states have adopted some state-level form of RFRA, either by statute or constitutional amendment.